Sunday, 23 August 2009

22 weeks

Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Their lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and they are even developing tiny tooth buds beneath their gums. Their eyes have formed, but their irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment.

If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers their body and the deep wrinkles on their skin, which they'll sport until they add a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside their belly, their pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.